Scissors or shears



Feb; 20, 19 45; A. R. ELIA 70,

SCISSORS OR SHEARS Filed April 50, 1943 a z 5 LIZZENTORV BY M Z 4H4 HTTOANE Y Patented Feb. 20, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCISSOBS OR SHEARS Adolphe R. Elia, Flushing, N. Y. Applicatlon April 30, 1943, Serial No. 485,150

.6 Claims. (Cl. 30-341) The present invention relates to scissors or shears, and more particularly to improvements in the handles of scissors or shears.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel P 0011- structions, arrangements, combinations, and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain th rinciples of the invention.

It i an object of the present invention to provide improved handles for scissors or shears, and to provide such handles which are particularly adaptable to scissors such as those used for cutting hair. Another object is the provision of handles for scissors which aid in the proper holdme of the scissors so that inexperienced persons may learn more easily the proper handling of scissors and that even experienced persons may handle them with greater facility. The invention further provides improved handles for scissors shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pair of scissors shown in Fig. 1 and viewed from the other side; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and showing the thumb and third finger in place on the handles of the scissors; and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2. v

With the stated and other objects in view there is provided in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, as shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing, a pair of scissors which are particularly adaptable for cutting hair. The pair of scissors comprise a pair .of cutting blades and handles connected by a pin for pivotal movement in the conventional manner. The handle of one cutting blade is adapted to receive the four fingers of one hand,

and as shown comprises an enlarged shank to receive the first and second fingers, a fitted bow to receive the third finger, and a curved-extension on the bow to receive the fourth finger.

. The handle of the other cutting blade is adapted to receive the thumb, and comprises a fitted bow into which the thumb is placed.

The bows are so shaped at their inner surgers placed in them have a relation to each other of substantially The enlarged shank receiving the first and second fingers of the hand has relatively wide seats or depressed portions to receive the tips of these fingers, and these seats, the, fitted bow and the curved extensions for the fourth fingers are spaced substantially along the complete length of the handle.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof. Referring now in detail to the illustrative em.- bodiment of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawing, a pair of hair cutting scissors may comprise cutting blades) and l I pivotally secured together by means of a pin [2. The cutting blade l0 has a handle portion for the holding and operation of the scissors indicated generally by the numeral l5, while the blade II has a handle portion indicated generally by the numeral IS. The handles l5 and I6 are enlarged somewhat over conventional handle proportions and are molded and fitted to the fingers of the hand. They are preferably made of a relatively light material which may be economically cast or carved into the required form. Plastic has been found to be a very satisfactory material for the purpose, although the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to any particular material whatever.

As may be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

the enlarged handle [5 is adapted to receive the tour fingers of the'hand, and comprises a shank portion l8 having spaced depressions or seats l9 and 20 to receive the tips of the first and second fingers respectively. The seats l9 and 20 are relatively wide laterally of the handle and wide enough longitudinally to provide a firm support and grip for the fingers they are adapted to receive.

Beyond the seat 20 for the second finger the handle [5 has an elliptical bow 22 which is tapered in depth and of such a size as to accommodate the third finger. of the hand. The opening in the bow is of such a size and sofitted as to allow only the outermost tip of the third finger to protrude therethrough, with the tip or pad of the finger firmly seated against the relatively broad inner surface of the bow. The inner surface of the bow is substantially fitted to conform to the end of the thirdfinger, so that the finger is firmly positioned therein in a natural position and one most desirable for hair cutting,

A curved extension 24 is provided beyond the bow 22 to accommodate the fourth or little fingerof the hand. This extension is also relatively wide laterally of handle 15 in order to provide a seat for the tip of the fourth finger.

It will be noted, as may be seen in Fig. 1, that when the fingers of the hand are placed in position on handle l5, they are spaced by the conformation of the handle and the seats I9, 20, the bow 22 and extension 24, substantially along the entire length of handle I5, and that the natural and comfortable holding of the handle will place the tips or pads of the fingers in contact with the handle, rather than an upper portion of the fingers. This results in a better control of the cutting blade [0 and a more sensitive touch through the fingers and hand of the user of the scissors.

As may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the handle l6 comprises an enlarged bow 26 at its end to lie substantially adjacent the how 22 of handle IS. The bow 26 is adapted to receive the thumb of the hand and to allowonly the outermost tip to protrude from the outer opening. The bow is relatively wide laterally of the handle in order to provide a seat for the tip or pad of the thumb,

and the inner surface of the bow is substantially closely fitted to the end of the thumb in order to firmly position it with respect to the handle [6.

As may be seen from Fig. 4, the inclination of the inner surfaces of bows 22 and 26 is such that a prolongation of the axes of the last or tip joints of the thumb and of the third finger will form an angle of substantially 90. The angle mentioned is in no sense a critical or necessary value and may be varied within wide limits within the scope of the invention, the desirable requirement being that. the thumb and third finger have a substantial angular relationship with each other rather than being held substantially parallel.

In using the scissors herein described and shown it will be noted that the handles are so formed and fitted as to require that the scissors be held with a particular hand and finger position. Thus the fingers of the hand are spaced along the length f handle l5, their tips are in firm contact with the handle, and little effort will need to be exerted to retain them in this position. The thumb and third finger are held in the position already described and this likewise tends to position the other fingers so that their tips will be the touching and controlling parts in contact with handle I5. The force applied in cutting hair will thus be along the arrows shown in Fig. 4. This results in a more sensitive touch and control by the user of the scissors with the blade H controlled by the thumb. The

,reason for this is that if movement is given to both blades, the operator does not know with certainty the line along which the hair will be out, while if blade I0 i positioned and maintained substantially stationary, the operator is enabled to fix with certainty the place where cutting occurs.

It will also be found in using scissors embodying the present invention that less fatigue will result on the arm, hand and fingers, the handles serving to properly position the fingers with a minimum of effort by the user. The fingers are comfortably received and retained in the most desirable position for cutting hair, and wear and callusing of the fingers, particularly the thumb and third finger which are received in the bows, will be eliminated.

The scissors of the invention will be found particularly useful in educating inexperienced persons to the proper holding of hair cutting scissors and the better cutting of the hair, and will likewise serve to make more natural and automatic the proper holding and cutting by experienced persons.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

l. A pair of scissors having a pair of cutting blades and an enlarged handle for each blade, one enlarged handle comprising a pair of depressed seats to receive the pads of the first and second fingers, a bow to receive the tip of the third finger, and a curved extension on the bow forming a depressed seat to receive the pad of the fourth finger, said depressed seats, bow and extension being spaced along substantially the entire length of the handle, and the other handle comprising a bow to receive the tip of the thumb said bow being positioned substantially opposite the bow on the first handle when the scissors are closed.

2. A pair of scissors having a pair of cutting blades and a handle for each blade, one handle comprising a pair of depressed seats for the firstand second fingers, a bow for the third finger said bow having a relatively wide inner surface laterally of the handle substantially fitted to said third finger, and a curved extension for the substantially at right angles to each other in the closed position of the blades.

3. Scissors comprising a pair of pivotally connected cutting blades, and a handle for each blade, one handle having aninclined bow formed to receive and fit the tip of the third finger and also having a pair of depressed transverse seat recesses to receive the pads of the first and secand fingers, said recesses being arranged one in advance of the other between said bow and the pivotal connection of the blades, and a curved extension on said how to receive the pad of the fourth finger, and the other handle having an inclined bow formed to receive and fit the tip of the thumb, said bows being inclined obliquely in reverse directions to the transverse plane of their handles and so as to dispose the tips of the thumb and third finger of the hand of the operator in proximity to each other and at an angle of about 90 to each other in the closed position of the blades.

4. Scissors comprising a pair of pivotally connected cutting blades, and a handle for each blade, one handle having a pair of depressed transverse seat recesses to receive the pads 01 the first and second fingers and an inclined bow formed to receive and fit the tip of the third finger, and the other handle having an inclined bow formed to receive and fit the tip of the thumb, said bows being inclined obliquely in reverse directions to the transverse plane of their handles and so as to dispose the tips of the thumb and third finger of the hand of the operator in proximity to each other and at an angle of about to each other inthe closed position of the blades.

5. Scissors, comprising a pair of pivotally connected cutting blades, and a handle for each 'blade, one handle having a bow to receive the third finger and a pair of depressed'transverse seat recesses to receive the first and second fingers, said seat recesses being arranged one in advance of the other between the bow and pivotal connection of the blades, and said bow having an inner surface formed to receive and fit the end of the third finger, and a curved extension on the bow to receive the fourth finger.

6. Scissors comprising a pair of pivotally connected cutting blades and a handle for each blade, one handle having a bow formed to receive and fit the tip of the thumb, and the other handle having a bow formed to receive and fit the tip of the third finger, said bows being of greater width than their handles and the second named handle being of tapering formation between its bow and its point of pivotal connection with the other blade and provided along said tapered portion with spaced transverse seat recesses to receive the first and second fingers, and a curved extension on the second named bow to receive the fourth finger.

ADOLPHE R. ELIA. 

